Matasar held a recent news conference on the steps of the justice center criticizing Burt.

Matasar, of Bainbridge Township, is a litigation partner/attorney with Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP in Cleveland, and said he is running for office to restore fiscal discipline to the courts.

"Last year, the Chagrin Valley Times reported that Geauga County was facing a budget deficit of more than $1 million. Despite the fiscal crisis, ... my opponent submitted to the county commissioners a proposed court budget that sought more spending," said Matasar. "In this difficult economic climate, all our public officials need to find ways to control costs, not waste taxpayer funds."

Burt responded by saying, "He keeps harking back to a comment in the Chagrin Valley Times regarding a political budget deficit. But there never was a budget deficit in the courts. We always return money. We have given money back to the county every single year for the 18 years I have been judge, and we'll return money this year."

Matasar also claims Burt has given raises with no regard to the economic climate.

Specifically, his bailiff, Joanne Monaco, was given a more than 49 percent pay increase over a seven-year period. Monaco's salary in 2004 was $47,117.83. Her estimated salary for 2012 was $71,334, according to the Geauga County Auditor's Office.

Burt argued that Monaco is not just a bailiff and that her salary is justified.

"He insists on referring to it as a bailiff's salary," said the judge. "He has trouble acknowledging it's the court administrator's salary. Judge Fuhry and I appointed her three years ago to manage 22 employees and a budget of $1.2 million."

Matasar also has criticized Burt for not improving courthouse security so that members of the public do not have to keep walking past criminal defendants waiting in the lobby.

"Thanks to a very generous charitable donation, the funds to pay for the security project have been available since 2008 in a Renovation Fund that my opponent oversees," Matasar said. "Despite the dangerous situation in the court's lobby, the work needed to ensure our safety in the court has not even started."

Burt said he does plan to make necessary renovations to the courthouse with the $400,000 that was put into the fund.

"Plans have been drawn up to modify the entrance," said Burt, "but quite frankly, the (county) commissioners chose not to spend it yet because of the economy. It's not my money. The money is still there, it hasn't been used for anything else."

During Matasar's first news conference, Sylvia DeFranco, an 82-year-old Munson Township woman, complained that Burt mistreated her when she went before him on a zoning violation in 2005.

"It was actually Judge Inderlied who sentenced her to 60 days in jail and then suspended it," Burt said. "I only cautioned her that since she'd already been sentenced to jail, she may not want to say too much."

Matasar held a second news conference outside the court Tuesday in which he accused Burt of being a double-dipper who misled voters.

"I will not permit the people of Geauga County to be misled by Judge Burt any longer," Matasar said in a statement. "On the same day Forrest Burt filed a document officially declaring he was retiring, he was personally collecting signatures to be on the ballot for re-election."

Burt said what he did is completely legal.

"There's no loophole, there's no subterfuge," said the judge. "I'm saving the county on medical insurance, and so-called double dipping doesn't cost the retirement system any more money."

Matasar disagreed.

"While what Judge Burt did may be legal, my father always told me growing up that just because something is legal doesn't make it right," Matasar said.

If re-elected, Burt -- a former assistant prosecutor -- said he would like to see faster resolution of cases and increased treatment for drug offenders.

He added that voters should choose him because there's no substitute for experience.

"During my time as judge," Burt said, "thousands of people have appeared before me in criminal, civil and domestic cases. I have sentenced murderers, rapists and drug dealers to prison, presided over trials involving millions of dollars, and seen people at their best and their worst.

"In the 18 years that I have served as your judge, I feel that I have demonstrated the judicial temperament, the firmness and the fairness that the people of Geauga County expect and deserve from their judges."

Matasar has been named "Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star" multiple times and said he is running for office for the first time to give back to his community.

"In a difficult time when people here in Geauga County are getting by week to week, we need someone to be a good steward of the county's finances," said Matasar.

Burt said he is disappointed with the negative tone the campaign has had.